An unexpected occurrence just happened, shocking everyone who bore witness to the gory sight. Right before their eyes, Dax had his heart ripped out by the ferocious foe he had struggled against for so long. The mighty Klaus drilled his claws into him and tore a large hole through his chest.
“Guarkk!!!” The wounded could only let out in shock and pain as blood gushed out from the large opening within him.
Klaus’ maniacal grin was followed by his more maddening laugh.
“I did it! I won! I am the new Wolf King!”
Silence… absolute silence followed. Rita covered her mouth in horror as she stared at the bloodied corpse of her husband, drowned in the thick crimson pool that flowed from within his body. A deep glare suddenly formed on her face as she made to give her husband’s killer a taste of his medicine. However, before she even attempted to, someone else beat her to it.
“How dare you…” Asher growled, giving Klaus a murderous look.
Klaus instantly snapped out of his murderous stupor as he became intimidated by Asher. The pressure that Asher emitted was pure malice and bloodlust, enough to choke the self declared Wolf King.
“You can’t… you can’t do this to me… I… did nothing wrong!” Klaus growled, feeling his throat burn and sting in pain.
Asher’s glare deepened as he gritted his teeth, watching Klaus shake in pure agony. Still, despite the swirling emotions within him, Asher couldn’t deny Klaus’ words.
“Since ancient… times… Werewolves have fought, even placing their lives on the line for the throne…” Klaus’ voice trailed as he struggled to breathe.
Asher knew that much. Due to the advancement of civilization, the tournament became more lax, and no killings ensued. However, that didn’t mean it was against the rules to kill the opponent if they failed to surrender.
Even though those were the rules… Asher couldn’t accept the death of his friend so easily.
“A-are you turning your back on the werewolf customs laid down by our ancestors? Was this whole thing just a farce to fuel your motives? Have… some respect for the ceremony. I won… fair and square!” Klaus huffed while speaking.
Asher’s fists were tightened the more he heard Klaus’ voice, enough to drive his nails through his palm and cause blood to drip from them.
“Dax wasn’t even in the fight at that time. Don’t give me that bullshit. The fight was already suspended.” Asher responded in anger.
“Oh yeah? By who? That girlfriend of yours that appeared out of nowhere? That doesn’t count, Asher. This victory… is mine!” Klaus smiled slyly, pointing at Roxanne, who stood beside Asher with a stoic expression.
She didn’t say anything as she just calmly stared at Klaus. Unlike everyone who displayed anger, sadness, fury, surprise, or countless emotions, Roxanne didn’t even make a single reaction.
Why? The reason dwelled in her experiences in the Ether Realm.
“So it’s taking this route…” She whispered, looking at Dax’s corpse.
As one who had seen the infinite possibilities of the future, Dax’s death didn’t come as a shock to her. It was only one of the many possibilities that could have happened at that very moment.
“Asher, calm yourself.” Roxanne finally spoke up, slightly touching the skin of her beloved mate.
Upon hearing her voice, Asher’s fierce rage suddenly dwindled. He couldn’t explain it. His clenched fists loosened, and the blood that spilled from him instantly ceased due to his wounds closing in a flash.
“Roxanne, what are you-?” Asher muttered, turning to see the smile on Roxanne’s face.
He was perplexed. Even though Dax wasn’t very close with Roxanne, they had lived together under the same roof for some time, and he was Rita’s husband. Roxanne was bound to consider him as family, yet… why couldn’t she shed a single tear for him.
“It’ll be okay. This time… he won’t die.” She answered Asher’s internal question, as though reading his mind.
Before Asher could say anything, Roxanne took a deep breath and heaved slowly. Instantly, to the surprise of everyone present, the bloodied corpse of Dax rose from where it lay on the hard earth. The blood that was spilled on the ground, all over his body, and even the ones that remained on Klaus’ fist, all returned to Dax’s body. The gaping holes in his chest closed, and the pale complexion of the corpse slowly regained colour.
“W-what are you-?!” Klaus protested in shock.
Once again, he was paralyzed, since he couldn’t harm Roxanne, though he desperately wanted to. Even if he could overcome whatever spell he placed on him, Asher was right beside her!
Seeing as the best option was to go for the recovering target, Klaus lunged at Dax’s restoring body to kill him once again.
“This time, I’ll tear him to pieces and mangle his corpse!” He growled.
Suddenly, an invincible wall stopped his advance, and before he could reach Dax, his revival was completed.
“This is…” Dax muttered, looking around him and at himself, stunned beyond words.
“DAXXX!!!” He heard a scream from the audience.
It was from Rita. Tears were flowing from her eyes as she smiled with immense happiness. Dax was a little disillusioned, but he slowly grasped what had occurred. The last memory he had was of being killed by Klaus, but there he was, fully healed.
He turned to his saviour and smiled.
“You healed me, Roxanne. Thank you.
Roxanne smiled and shrugged. She didn’t exactly heal him. Using the power of her Art [Luna’s Wish], she had simply restored his body to a state before it got destroyed by Klaus. His optimal form. No, Roxanne had taken it a step further.
“I’m sure you can sense it yourself, Dax… my little gift to you for all the troubles you’ve gone through and overcome.”
Dax nodded. He could feel it himself, the strange, yet familiar sensation within his body. His inner wolf had evolved and he could feel a newfound power formed within him.
“So this is how it feels like, uh…?”
“What is the meaning of this?!” Klaus growled, suddenly breaking free from the invisible wall that bound him.
He didn’t exactly break free, but the wall itself was released by Roxanne.
“What have you done? How dare you interrupt our battle?” Klaus barked at Roxanne.
“You were pretty content when she gave you the window of opportunity to kill Dax, weren’t you? You don’t get to complain now.” Asher remarked, smiling at the expression Klaus made.
Upon hearing Asher’s witty statement, Roxanne chuckled in response. Her mate hadn’t lost his touch.
“You…” Klaus growled, not taking too kindly to being insulted.
“I already killed him! I won! You resurrecting him shouldn’t be allowed!”
Klaus couldn’t believe things had turned against his favour again. It was unacceptable. He was already the Wolf King. There was no need to continue the tournament.
“I don’t remember resurrecting a werewolf being against the rules of the tournament, do you, Asher?” Roxanne asked in a mocking fashion, looking at Asher, who stood beside her.
“I don’t remember seeing such a thing, either. Huh, weird… I suppose the match must go on, then.” Asher responded, clearly enjoying himself.
“N-no, I already won… I passed the challenge, I should be Wolf King, you can’t just-”
“Hey, Klaus. You seem to be forgetting something.” Dax said, suddenly jolting Klaus from the bitter emotions that were consuming him.
“I never surrendered, and as you can see… I am not dead!”
Dax smiled, moving closer to Klaus.
“This match… isn’t over yet! Not by a long shot!”
In fact, it was just getting started.
“You… you dare mock me? Me?! What can you do? The last time, I recall you lost pretty miserably! What makes you think this time will be any different?” Klaus barked at Dax.
Dax shrugged in response, smiling broadly. The air of confidence was too much for Klaus to conceive.
“[Domination]! [Aura]!” Klaus yelled, instantly activating both Werewolf arts that he had made dormant for a while now.
Once again, everywhere became heavy, filled with his malevolent pressure, and the evil-looking purple aura shrouded his body.
“I am invincible! To someone like you who hasn’t even awakened a Werewolf Art, you can’t hope to stop me!” Klaus roared, sending the effects of his [Domination] to Dax rapidly to crush him.
However…
“Who said… you were the only one who had an Art?” Dax whispered.
Instantly, the dark pressure that was nearing Dax dissipated upon contact with his body, parting upon impact.
“Ancient Werewolf Art… [Aura].”
Instantly, blue flame-like energy ignited on Dax’s body and his eyes glowed in a bright azure light.
Clashing against Klaus’ [Domination], Dax was able to easily overcome it.
“It looks like your power isn’t strong enough to crush me, after all.”
Upon hearing Dax’s taunts, Klaus flared up and increased the built-up aura on his body.
“How dare youuuuu!!!” He roared.
Dax maintained his stance and gave his signature stoic look. With the unyielding blue flames on his body, and the determined gaze still remaining in his eyes, he was determined to see the fight with Klaus to the end.
And this time… he was going to win!